Thread by @siimland

Prehydrating with salt before exercise is the best pre-workout you could ever have

It is able to increase your performance by 10-20x more than any other supplement⬇️⬇️

One of the limiting factors for physical performance is high core temperature - as you start exercising your core temperature starts increasing - and you bonk when it gets too high

As core temperature rises, blood flow shifts to the skin and reduces blood flow to the muscles

Boosting blood volume prior to exercise which is most effectively done with salt and water provides the body with a larger amount of circulating fluid to offload heat and cool the body

It also slows the rise in core temp, reducing sweating and electrolyte loss during exercise

There have been several studies that have tested pre-loading with salt solutions prior to exercise to boost blood volume


https://t.co/Wsv1xIBTiz
https://t.co/0bK6Xar9gj
https://t.co/wGDje30KDHpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17218894/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9561285/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11417429/
pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17463297/

In 13 trained female cyclists, they cycled at 70% of VO2 max at 32°C until exhaustion

1st grp took a high-salt (2,368 mg sodium) solution
2nd grp took a low-salt (144 mg sodium) solution

Both were ~ 21.6 oz of fluid, consumed over 60 mins, 1 hour and 45 mins before exercise

On average those drinking the high-salt solution were able to cycle 20.1 minutes longer (PMID: 17463297)

the best workout supplements, such as beta-alanine or beetroot juice, only increase exercise duration by 1-2 mins

Similar benefits were found in 8 trained male runners running to exhaustion at 70% of VO2 max in 32°C

2,855 mg of sodium vs. 174 mg of sodium in 25.6 oz

On average those drinking the high-salt solution were able to cycle 20.8 minutes longer (PMID: 17218894)

To summarize, high-salt solutions before exercise in heat have been shown to:
1. Increase exercise duration by ~20-21 minutes
2. Lower heart rate lower by 9-10 beats per minute
3. Lower core body temperature by 0.4°C
4. Reduce feelings of fatigue

Part of the benefits of prehydrating with salt is it postpones the rise in core temperature that occurs during exercise

At a core temperature of 38°C, performance starts to decline, and once an internal temperature of 39°C is reached, performance will eventually cease.

Here's the hydration formula by @drjamesdinic for peak performance:

An hour before training

- Preload with salt, water, and glycine

(2,300-4,300 mg sodium + 4-8 grams of glycine in 22-33.8 oz. of fluid, respectively)

Learn more performance secrets from my book with @drjamesdinic and @mcgregorfast nutritionist Tristin Kennedy called WIN

Foreword by @bengreenfield

amzn.to/3QhfdO9